Jessica Downey | Online Learning for Teachers pursuing Continuing Education and Professional Development | The Connecting Link

 

Jessica Downey

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Jessica Downey is currently an assistant principal at Benjamin Elementary School in Normal, IL. She has been working in education for nine years, beginning as a 6th-grade teacher before transitioning to 4th-grade, and now working in educational administration. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Illinois State University and two Master of Arts degrees also from Illinois State; one in Reading and the other in Educational Administration.

As an assistant principal, Jessica has the opportunity to build positive relationships with students, staff, and families.  She helps lead the Positive Behavior System team at her school and focuses on how to help each student be successful both academically and personally. Jessica challenges herself and seeks ways to improve her effectiveness in instruction, management, and behavior. During her time in the classroom, Jessica mentored first-year teachers and student teachers. She is passionate about learning and growing, and wants to work with other educators in continuing this journey.  

In addition to working at Benjamin and The Connecting Link, Jessica lives in the country with her husband and dog, Bailey. She enjoys spending time outside with her family and dog, running, and reading in the backyard.

Participants in this course will learn and explore research-based strategies and frameworks that foster a classroom climate (in both virtual and in-person settings) that maximizes each student’s full learning potential. Strategies for creating a high-functioning learning community can promote skills that are critical for success both inside and outside of the classroom. The course will provide participants the strategies and techniques to design and foster environments, which are conducive to a safe place for teaching, learning, and connecting the community to the school. Participants’ classroom leadership abilities are developed as a result of engaging in this learning experience. Participants will learn ways to create a students-centered approach to classroom rules, norms, managing disruptive behavior through positive discipline, increase student responsibility/accountability, how social and emotional needs impact classroom management, and how grading/assessment practices can add to their classroom management culture. Self-assessment and reflection are built into the course activities, projects, and discussions so that participants can examine their growth in fostering a better student-teacher relationship that improves the classroom environment.
Course #: IMS25532
Dates: 06/02/25 - 06/15/25
Categories:

Positive Classroom Management Instructional Strategies

Format:

Interactive

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Participants in this course will learn how to build academic success by exploring and developing tools for cultivating their students’ attention and designing active learning experiences for all learners. Participants will explore creative strategies for reaching students from distractions to regaining and focusing their attention for learning. Research is based on Caitrin Blake, Neil Bradbury and Jaren Cooney Horvath, among others. Foundational work in this course will include the research on understanding distraction, strategies to decrease distractions, bringing students' attention within the classroom, and the different types of attention: curious, divided, structured, sustaining, mindful. Participants will synthesize these paradigms and develop a new understanding of the role that attention can play in student learning along with new tools, strategies and techniques for cultivating students’ attention along with a state-of-the-art approach in learning to meet their educational goals.
Course #: IMS25533
Dates: 06/16/25 - 06/29/25
Categories:

Social & Emotional Learning Positive Classroom Management

Format:

Interactive

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